Frost shield



May 28, 1935. R RP 2,002,722

FROST SHIELD Filed Oct. 27, 1933 J 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l6 5 INVENTOR.

Mal.

ATTORNEY.

May 28, 1935. J. R. THORP 2,002,722

FROST SHIELD Filed Oct. 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT TORT H531 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FROST SHIELD Joel R. Thorn, West Allis, Wis., assignor to The Fulton Company, West Allis, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 27, 1933, Serial No. 695,405

Claims. The present invention relates generally to im-- provements in devices for insuring clear vision for the driver and other occupants of a vehicle, and relates more specifically to improvements in the 5 construction and operation of so-called frost of vision of the occupant of the car.

shields which are cooperable with the Windshields and other windows of an automobile or other vehicle for the purpose of insuring a clear view of the external surroundings under most adverse weather conditions.

Generally defined, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved clear vision device, which is simple and durable in construction, and which is, moreover, highly efficient in operation.

Numerous appliances intended for the purpose of maintaining clear vision through the windshields and other windows of enclosed automobiles or the like, have heretofore been proposed, but all of these prior devices are more or less complicated, inefficient, and otherwise objectionable. A practical clear vision shield must not only be capable of accomplishing the desired result under the most adverse weather conditions, but it must also be durable in construction, neat in general appearance, unobstructive to the view at all times, and sufliciently simple to permit manufacture and sale thereof at moderate cost.

It should not be necessary, with such a device, to resort to artificial heating of the shield under all vision obstructing weather conditions, since many of these conditions may be effectively combatted without such heat if a perfectly sealed air space is provided adjacent the window in the line Such an accessory is, moreover, desirable only during certain seasons of the year, and should, therefore, be readily removable from the window, and it should above all require minimum attention and offer least possible interference to the drivers view of the road.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved frost shield which meets all of these desirable requirements, and

' which may be conveniently supplied with artificial heat whenever such is necessary.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a simple and well constructed frame structure for detachable clear vision devices, whereby such devices will present a neat appearance and may be manufactured at minimum cost.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide an electrically heated clear vision appliance which may be readily installed and operated, and which provides a hermetically sealed air space introducing a clear vision area of desirable dimensions in the line of vision of the driver or occupants of the vehicle with which the appliance is associated.

These and other objects and advantages of the improvement will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of several embodiments of the invention, and'of the construction and mode of operating several types of frost shields built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference charcters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a fragment of a frost coated vehicle windshield, showing one type of the improved frost shield attached to the rear surface thereof;

Fig. 2 is a reversed front view of the frost shield of Fig. 1, with the heater energizing plug connector omitted therefrom;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the frost shield, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary further enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the frost shield, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged transverse section through the frame of the frost shield, taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a likewise enlarged transverse section through the frame of the frost shield, taken along the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a similarly enlarged transverse section through the frame of the frost shield, taken along the line 1--1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of a fragment of a frost coated vehicle windshield, showing another type of improved frost shield attached to the rear surface thereof;

Fig. 9 is a reversed front view of the frost shield of Fig. 8, with the heater energizing plug connector omitted therefrom;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the modified frost shield, taken along the line ill-l0 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a similarly enlarged similar section through the modified frost shield showing por-.

verse section through the frame of the modified frost shield, taken along the line I3-I3 of Fig. 9.

While the improved devices are generally designated herein as frost shields, it should be understood that these appliances are not merely capable of maintaining the windows to which they are applied, free from frost deposits, but also function to prevent other vision obstructing coatings or deposits.

Referring specifically to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the drawings, the improved frost shield shown therein, comprises in general a substantially rectangular frame composed of a band I5 embedded within a continuous seal I6; a transparent sheet I? coacting along its entire peripheral edge with a groove I6 formed in the ,teal I6; supporting elements I9 carried by end brackets 26 secured to the opposite ends of the main frame; and one or more heating elements 2 Icarried by and span-,

ning the main frame adjacent to the transparent sheet Il.

The band I5 is preferably formed of resilient but relatively stiif material such as a flat metal strip, and the embedding seal I6 may be formed of rubber or other relatively flexible material moulded around and vulcanized or otherwise attached to the resilient core. This frame forming material may be produced in strip form, of proper length to provide a continuous sealing structure when bent into its final rectangular or other shape, and the groove I8 is of such depth that the metal strip or band will not be exposed, and so that a spacing cushion of rubber will always be interposed between the band I5 and the edge of the sheet I? confined within the groove I8, as clearly indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and '7. The confined resilient band I5 of the frame may also be biased inwardly between the corners of the completed frame so as to insure retention of the edges of the sheet II within the groove I8, and the edge of the seal I6, which normally contacts with the main window 22, may be formed as a continuous highly flexible lip 23 in order to insure most effective sealing when the frame is in normal use.

The transparent sheet I? may be formed of ordinary glass, cut to fit snugly within the groove I8 of the seal I6, and is held by this groove some distance away from the main window 22 so as to provide an intervening air space. The supporting elements I9 may be ordinary rubber suction cups detachably secured to the end brackets 26 by means of clamping members 24 coacting with threaded studs formed integral .with the cups. The brackets 20 may be formed. of sheet metal, and are firmly attached to the metal band I5 by means of screws 25 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, and although a thin sheet of rubber forming part of the seal I6, is interposed between the band I5 and each of the brackets 20, these brackets are conductively connected to the frame band by the screws 25.

One of the brackets 26 is provided with integral metal ears 26 as shown in Fig. 7, and these ears 26 pierce the rubber seal I6 and may contact with the band I5, thus providing attaching loops for the adjacent ends of the wire heating elements 2I. The metal band I5 provides an electrical conductor communicating with these ends of the elements 2|, and the opposite ends of the elements H are attached to leaf spring conductors 27 secured to the opposite end of the main frame near the other bracket 20. The conductors 21 may be formed of one piece of metal, and coact with the inner face of the rubber seal I6 aooaraa being insulated from the band I5 by rubber bushings 26 surrounding the attaching bolts 29, and

by fibre insulating pieces 36, 3|, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The bushings 28 are formed integral with the seal I6 and a contact point 32 serves as a clamping nut coacting with one of the bolts 29, while another contact point 33 is connected directly to the band I5 by means of a screw 34. With this assemblage of elements, the corresponding ends of the wire heating elements 21! are conductively connected through the conductors 2i and one of the bolts 29 with the contact point 32, being insulated from the band I5; and the opposite corresponding ends of these wires are conductively connected through bracket 20, hand I5 and screw 64 with the other contact point 33. The points 32, 33 are however insulated with respect to each other by the insulating piece 3i, and a detachable plug connector 35 is adapted to connect the points 32, 33 with a shield shown therein, comprises in general a substantially rectangular frame composed of a band I5, a continuous seal l6, and an outer retainer 36; a transparent sheet I coacting along its peripheral edge portion with a groove formed by the adjacent edge of the seal I6 and by an inwardly projecting flange 37 of the retainer 36; supporting elements I9 carried by brackets 20' formed integral with the retainer 36 at the four corners thereof; and one or more heating elements 2| carried by and spanning the main frame adjacent to the transparent sheet II.

The band I5 is again preferably formed of relatively stiff resilient flat metal strip, while the seal I6 is formed of rubber having a continuous outwardly directed sealing flange 23 at one edge thereof and also having an inwardly directed spacer flange 38 disposed between the sheet I1 and the adjacent edge of theband I5. The

outer retainer 36 and the brackets 20 may be formed of one piece of sheet metal, and the three frame elements are permanently interconnected to provide a unitary structure, by means of split rivets 25 which may have insulating washers 36 for electrically insulating the band I5 from the retainer 36 as shown in detail in Fig. 13. The transparentsheet I1 which is also'preferably formed of glass, is confined along its entire peripheral edge, between the inner edge portion of a resilient flange 31 of the retainer 36 and the flange 38 of the seal I6, and these flanges by virtue of their resiliency will provide a tight seal Without subjecting the sheet II to excessive stresses due to the clamping of the frame elements to each other. When the outer flange 23' is brought in contact with a main window 22, a sealed air space is again provided between the sheet I? and window 22 within the frame. The supporting elements I9 may also be ordinary rubber suction cups dctachably secured to the end brackets 26' by means of clamping members 24' engaging threaded studs secured to the cups, as clearly shown in Fig. 12.

The wire heating elements 2| of the modified frost shield, have their corresponding ends secured directly to the adjacent short side of the frame band I5 and within the seal l6, and have their opposite corresponding ends connected to leaf spring conductors 21, as disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9. These heating elements are again spaced from both the sheet l1 and the window 22 and are disposed within the air space previously described, and the extreme ends of the band l5 are spaced from the conductors 2'! being supported directly from an insulating block 3! by means of screws 29. The screws 29 pass directly through the rubber seal 56 but do not touch the outer retainer 36, being insulated from this retainer as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and one of these attaching screws 29 serves to hold a contact point 32' within the insulator block 3|. Another contact point 33 is likewise held within the insulator block 3!, by means of a screw 34' which coacts directly with the adjacent end of the band IE, but is also insulated from the outer retainer 36 as indicated in Fig. 11. A plug connector 35 is adapted to coact with the contact points 32, 33, and it is to be noted that the band 5 functions as a conductor associated with corresponding ends of the wire elements 2|, while the conductor 2'! is similarly associated with the opposite corresponding ends of these elements. The outer retainer 36 is, however, insulated from both the band I5 and conductor 27, and is never charged with electric current.

From the foregoing description, the manner of attaching theimproved frost shield to a main windshield, should be clearly apparent, it being preferable in applying one of these shields to a window, to have the suction cups and the continuous seal provided at their contacting surfaces with a slight amount of sealing fluid in order to improve the holding and sealing effect. In order to utilize the heating elements, it is only necessary to attach the plug connector, whereupon the wires spanning the interior of the frame will heat the confined air within the space between the transparent sheet and the main window, and will thereby effectively prevent frost and other moisture from accumulating upon the outer surface of the main window and will thus insure clear vision. It is not, however, necessary to utilize the heating elements, since the provision of an air space alone will tend to maintain clear vision 7 have been found extremely effective in accomplishing their intended purposes. The improved frame structures present a neat and highly finished appearance, and produce minimum obstruction to the view of the occupants of a vehicle with which they are associated, and by preventing direct contact between the transparent shields and the supporting metallic parts, breakage of these shields is effectively eliminated. If so desired, the suction cup attachers may be omitted entirely and the cementing of the seals to the window may alone by resorted to and in some instances the heating elements may be entirely omitted from the appliances. It should also be noted that two or more suction cups appropriately arranged about the outer frame, may be utilized in either of the improved structures, instead of the precise number of cups shown, and that the use of the heating elements is desirable when ice, sleet and frost are to be dispelled. The fact that the flange 31 only has line edge contact with the glass sheet, is also of importance in eliminating glass breakage, and the retainer frame 36 need parent sheet coacting along its entire peripheral edge with said seal within said band, said band being spaced from the peripheral edge of said sheet and biased to press said seal into intimate contact with said sheet edge, and heating meanscarried by said band and disposed within said frame.

2. In combination, a frame comprising a continuous metal band embedded entirely within a rubber seal having a groove therein within said band, a transparent sheet coacting with said groove and spaced from said band, and heating means comprising a wire spanning said frame, said wire having one end conductively connected to said band and having its opposite end insulated therefrom.

3. In combination, a frame comprising a continuous rectangular metal band embedded within a rubber seal having a groove in the side thereof and having a flexible lip remote from the groove, a transparent sheet coacting with said groove entirely within and spaced from the band, and a supporting bracket for connecting the ends of the band to produce a continuous frame while maintaining the adjacent ends of the band spaced apart.

4. In combination, a frame comprising a continuous metal band, a transparent sheet disposed entirely within said band near one edge thereof, a continuous rubber seal supported by said frame and forming a lining for the interior of said band, said seal having a continuous preformed inwardly projecting flange at one edge thereof coacting directly with the peripheral portion of said sheet and also having a continuous preformed outwardly directed sealing lip at its opposite edge projecting outwardly beyond the opposite edge of said band, and heating means carried by said band and spanning said frame.

5. In combination, a frame comprising a continuous metal band coacting with a rubber seal forming a lining for the interior of the band and having inwardly and outwardly extending preformed continuous integral portions at the opposite edges thereof, a transparent sheet coacting along its entire peripheral edge with said inwardly projecting seal portion within said band, said outwardly extending seal portion being disposed beyond the edge of said band remote from said sheet and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of said band and said band being formed to press said seal into intimate contact with said sheet edge, and heating means carried by said band and disposed within said frame.

JOEL R. THORP. 

